Kodak announced that it will increase the price of all Kodak offset printing plates globally. Plate prices will increase up to 9%.

Kodak says it has been absorbing significant increases in costs for raw materials for offset plates, including: aluminum; chemicals; and packaging materials. Kodak continues to improve productivity and efficiencies to help offset these marketplace dynamics, but the magnitude of the materials cost impact has made it necessary to increase plate prices.

“The printing plate market is both technology-intensive and cost-competitive,” said Brad Kruchten, President, Print Systems Division, Kodak. “As a result, there is no room for us to continue to absorb these escalating raw materials costs without raising our own prices.”Details of the new pricing structure will be communicated to all customers and dealers across the world shortly.Kodak is one of the three major manufactures of offset plates for the Canadian market. Agfa and Fujifilm are the other two.